Method and an apparatus for displacing a heavy load to a foundation



July 28, 1970 A E Q. VAN HEZIK 3,521,772

METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR DISPLAOING A HEAVY LOAD TO A FOUNDATION Filed Deo. 7, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet l ADRANus E. Q, VAN Naz-2K dal ' ATTORNEY5 July 28, 1970 A E Q. VAN HEzlK 3,521,772

METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR DISPLACING A HEAVY LOAD TO A FOUNDATION Filed Dec. '7, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR ADRANus E. ca VAN HEZEK BY W MA ATTORNEYS 3,521,772 EAVY July 28, 1970 A. E. Q. VAN HEZIK METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR DISPLACING A H LOAD TO A FOUNDATION 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. '7 1967 INVENTQR 4AbRMuJs E. Q. VANHEZI ATTORNEY?.

, July 28, 1 970 A. E. Q. VAN HEZIK METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR DISPLACING A HBA LOAD T0 A FOUNDATION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 7, 1967 ATTIQLVEYS AoRANus 5:. VAN HEz United States Patent O 3,521,772 METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR DISPLACING A HEAVY LOAD TO A FOUNDATION Adrianus E. Q. van Hezik, Staringstraat 11, Nijmegen, Netherlands Filed Dec. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 688,827 Claims priority, application Netherlands, Dec. 23, 1966, 6618076 Int. Cl. B66f 3/18 U.S. Cl. 214-390 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pair of jack assemblies are adapted to straddle a 9 Claims load. Each assembly includes a base and a jack frame,

the base being supported by wheels and drive mechanism being provided for the wheels to travel the jack assemblies and the load supported between them to a point of destination for the load and drive mechanism also being provided to lift the jack frames on the bases. A bridge'r.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for displacing a heavy load, particularly a Prefabricated house to a foundation and for lowering the load onto the foundation, in which the load is supported at lifting jacks provided with travelling rollers.

The invention has for its object to carry out with extreme exactness said displacing and moving of the load, e.g. the prefabricated house supplied on a large truck, in a simple manner. According to the invention the lifting jacks are temporarily secured at opposite sides to the load and said jacks are travelling on the foundation with their rollers. The lifting jacks supporting the load, e.g. the house, obtain the required large lateral stability by the stiffness of the load to which the jacks are secured.

As the lifting jacks without the presence of the load to be displaced have no stability against falling down auxiliary means for obtaining said stability are to be provided. Said stabilizing of the lifting jacks can be obtained by guiding at the jacks a work bridge extending transversely between the jacks and having at its both ends means for connecting the bridge at the lifting jacks. Said work bridge may also support one or more shafts, which may be coupled to the drive for lifting the jacks and if desired also with a drive for the travelling rollers of the bridge for displacing the bridge on the feet of the jacks and with a drive for the travelling rollers at the foot of the jacks.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings showing an embodiment of the apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention.

In the drawings FIGS. l and 2 show a side view and a cross-sectional view with part in elevation of the lifting jacks with the load in elevated position.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of the lifting jacks according to FIGS. 1 and 2 with the load in its lowermost position and the work bridge at the other side of the lifting jacks.

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation on enlarged scale of the lowermost part of a lifting jack taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 5, which itself is a section along line V-V in FIG. 4.

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FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation also on enlarged scale of the upper part of a lifting jack taken on line VI-VI of FIG. 7, which itself is a side view with partly sectional elevation.

The lifting jacks 1 have a number of extensible legs 2 having one or more feet 3 in which travelling rollers 4 are journalled and run on the foundation 5 on which e.g. a row of prefabricated houses are to be placed and if required said foundation may be extended for the supply 0 of said houses.

Part of a house is denoted by 6 and said house is supplied by means of a truck 8 and when taken over by the lifting jacks 1 the house is connected to the jacks e.g. at the floor plate 7. To this end threaded sleeves 9 are bedded in the oor plate 7 and a screw rod 10 is threaded in said sleeves and to said rod 10 a threaded sleeve 11 is secured. On the circumference of the threaded sleeve 11 a helical circular toothing 12 is provided, which meshes with a worm 13 and said worms 13 for all threaded sleeves 11 are mounted on a common shaft 14. On the outer side of the threaded sleeve 11 one or more longitudinal grooves 45 are provided in which a projection at the inner side of the toothing 12 engages, so that the threaded sleeves 11 may be rotated by said toothing in order to be threaded on a stationary threaded member 46. For supporting the jack body 1 at its upper end screw rods 15 with threaded sleeves 16 are providedwhich also have a circular helical toothing 17 in which a worm 18 engages. The worms 18 for the various screw rods 15 may be mounted on a common shaft 19, so that the rods 15 may simultaneously be actuated.

For extending and returning the legs 2 they are provided at their inner side with a toothed rack 20 which meshes with a worm 21 secured in the jack body 1 against vertical displacement on a shaft 22 carrying at its lower end a worm 23 meshing with a worm Wheel 24. The wheels 24 for the various legs 2 may be mounted on a common driving shaft 25.

For driving the travelling rollers 4 a worm wheel 27 s secured on the axis 26 of each roller and said worm wheel meshes with a worm 28 and said worms all are secured on a common shaft 29. The shaft 29 is driven by an electric motor 30 through the intermediary of a worm gear 32, 33. Said gear is enclosed by a box 31 in which also the electric motor 34 for driving the shaft 25 for extending and returning the legs 2 of the lifting jacks 1 is located. For transmitting the drive to the jack 1 located at the opposite side of the load 6 transverse shafts 35, 36 are provided which each through the intermediary of a worm gear 37 and 38 respectively are connected tothe driving shaft 25 and 29 respectively. For both lifting jacks 1 a gear box 31 may be provided at each side of the apparatus.

Rails 39 are provided at the feet 3 of the lifting jack and on said rails a work bridge 40 with travelling rollers 41 may be displaced. Said bridge 40 at its upper end is provided with supports 42 at both sides and by means of which the jacks 1 may be supported at the bridge. To this end the supports 42 engage in horizontal slots 47 at the inner side of the jack bodies and said slots at the foremost and the rearmost end of the jacks are communicating with a pair of vertical slots 48 in order to allow the jack bodies 1 to be raised when the work bridge 40 is occupying its foremost or rearmost position. In order to allow the work bridge 40 to be displaced along the jacks 1 when they are in their lowermost position the vertical slots 48 at their upper end are communicating with a horizontal slot 49 at each jack. Preferably also the transverse shafts 35, 36 which at both ends are provided with a coupling, are supported at the bridge 40 as well as the shaft for driving the travelling rollers 41 of the working bridge, but said shaft is not illustrated in the drawing.

For actuating the drive of the shafts 14 and 19 for the threaded rods and 15 and for securing the jack bodies 1 at the house to be displaced flights 43, 44 may be provided.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for lifting a heavy load, more especially a dwelling unit like a prefabricated house, from a lorry, displacing the load to and lowering the load onto a foundation, consisting of two lifting jack frames, one for each of two opposite sides of the load, each frame being supported on and vertically movable along a number of vertical legs having rollers at their lower ends for transportation towards and over said foundation, each frame carrying load support means movable horizontally towards and from the other frame for carrying a load between the two frames, reversible drive means moving the jack frames along the legs, reversible drive means for driving the rollers in unison, reversible drive means for moving the load support in unison, a bridge extending transversely to and between said jack frames for lateral support thereof, said bridge being movable along a pair of rails secured to Said lift jack frames, respectively, and carrying at both its ends means for connecting the bridge to the opposing jack frames.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein lthe rails are secured to the lower ends of at least two of the legs of each jack frame, respectively, said legs having an extendable length underneath said load support means which is greater than the height of said bridge, so that the bridge is movable along said rails underneath said load support means from the one to the other end of said jack frames.

3. An apparatus for lifting a heavy load, more especially a dwelling unit like a prefabricated house, from a lorry, displacing the load to and lowering the load onto a foundation, comprising in combination,

a pair of jack assemblies, each including a horizontally elongate base and a horizontally elongate jack frame guided for Vertical movement with respect to said base,

wheel means supporting each base for longitudinal movement along a supporting surface,

means on said jack frames for engaging and supporting a load,

lifting means for raising and lowering said jack frames relative to their bases,

drive means for rotating said wheel means to move said jack assemblies longitudinally, and

a bridge assembly extending between said bases, said bridge assembly being supported for movement longitudinally along said bases and including mechanism maintaining said bases in predetermined spaced relation whereby said jack assemblies may be moved longitudinally to straddle a load, said bridge assembly being of a height to permit movement thereof beneath a load elevated by said jack frames.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said lifting means comprise a irst power unit on each base, said drive means comprising a second power unit on each base, and coupling means carried by said bridge assembly for coordinating said lirst power units and for coordinating said second power units.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said lifting means comprise a pair of first power units at the opposite ends of each base, said drive means comprising a pair of second power units at the opposite ends of each base, and coupling means carried by said bridge assembly for coordinating said irst power units and for coordinating said second power units.

6. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said drive means comprise a power unit on each base, and coupling means carried by said bridge assembly for coordinating said power units.

7. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said lifting means comprise a power unit on each base, and coupling means carried by said bridge assembly for coordinating said power units.

8. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said drive means comprise a pair of power units at opposite ends of each base, and coupling means carried by said bridge assembly for coordinating said power units.

9. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said lifting means comprise a pair of power units at opposite ends of each base, and coupling means carried by said bridge assembly for coordinating said power units.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 949,331 2/1910 Scholle 254-2 2,463,381 3/1949 Hicks 254-2 2,636,623 4/1953 Corley 254-2 XR 2,985,482 5/1961 Lion 214-515 3,195,859 7/1965 Jackson et al. 254-2 3,251,494 5/1966 Pulliam 214-515 XR 3,360,141 12/'1967 Martin 254-45 XR ALBERT J. MAKAY, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 214-515 

